About last night

1. Democrats finally took out a number of GOP incumbents they had been trying to defeat for years -- but were unable to until now. Those casualties include Reps. Clay Shaw of Florida, Anne Northup of Kentucky, Jim Leach of Iowa, and Nancy Johnson of Connecticut, and Rob Simmons of Connecticut (who is trailing, per the AP results).

2. The Republicans actually held their own in the top-tier races targeted by the Democratic and GOP House campaign committees. Their survivors include Reps. Heather Wilson of New Mexico, Deborah Pryce and Steve Chabot of Ohio, Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania (who is leading per the AP results), and Tom Reynolds of New York -- who actually chairs the GOP House campaign committee.

3. Democrats won many of the once-longshot races they didn't target until the very end. Those include their victories over GOP Reps. Melissa Hart of Pennsylvania, Jim Ryun of Kansas, Richard Pombo of California, and Gil Gutknecht of Minnesota.